The Qur'an Attacks ... Christianity?

The Qur'an Attacks ... Christianity?

In this short article I discuss a consistent theme in the Qur'an.
On the one hand, it appears to be something important based on the number of times it is mentioned. Yet it is not obvious how to find a convincing interpretation for these verses in the Qur'an.

They say: "Allah has begotten a Son". Glory be to Him! His is what the heavens and the earth contain; all things are obedient to Him. Creator of the heavens and the earth! When he decrees a thing, He need only say "Be", and it is.
—Qur'an 2:116 Who says "Allah has begotten a Son"?

Then God will say: ‘Jesus, son of Mary, did you ever say to mankind: "Worship me and my mother as gods besides God?"’
—Qur'an 5:116 Mary worshipped as a god.
Possibly part of this theme.

Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth; how can He have a son when He has no consort? He created all things, and He hath full knowledge of all things.
—Qur'an 6:101 Do you know what a consort is?
con·sort (n. kon’sôrt; v. kèn sôrt’), n. 1. a husband or a wife, esp. of a reigning monarch. 2. one vessel or ship accompanying another. —v.i., v.t. 3. to keep company. 4. to agree or harmonize.
If Christians believed in a consort of God, I would not have had to look it up in a dictionary.
But if this verse is not about Christians, then what is it about?

The Jews say Ezra is the son of God, while the Christians say the Messiah is the son of God. Such are their assertions, by which they imitate the infidels of old. God confound them! How perverse they are!
—Qur’an 9:30 It's perverse of Jews and Christians to say God has a son.
Like the infidels of old.
God confound them!

They say, ‘God has begotten a son.’ God forbid! Self-sufficient is He. His is all that the heavens and the earth contain. Surely for this you have no sanction. Whould you say of God what you know not?
—Qur’an 10:68 Self-sufficient is He
means he does not need a consort to have a son.

Such was Jesus, the son of Mary. That is the whole truth, which they still doubt. God forbid that He Himself should beget a son! When He decrees a thing He need only say: ‘Be,’ and it is.
—Qur’an 19:35 Who are they that still doubt?
Allah does not need to beget a son the way men have children, with a wife or consort.
He can just say ‘Be.’

Those who say: ‘The Lord of Mercy has begotten a son,’ preach a monstrous falsehood, at which the very heavens might crack, the earth break asunder, and the mountains crumble to dust. That they should ascribe a son to the Merciful, when it does not become the Lord of Mercy to beget one!
—Qur’an 19:88 Strong words in reference to God begetting a son.

Say: ‘How then can you be so bewitched?’
We have revealed to them the truth, but they are liars all.
Never has God begotten a son, nor is there any other god besides Him. Were this otherwise, each god would govern his own creation, each holding himself above the other. Exalted be God above their falsehoods!
—Qur’an 23:91
More strong words in reference to God begetting a son.
If there were multiple gods, then they would all act in a way that mere humans would consider immature.

Surely they lie when they declare: "Allah has begotten children".
—Qur'an 37:151

Had it been His will to adopt a son, He would have chosen whom He pleased out of His own Creation.
—Qur'an 39:4

Say: ³ "If the Lord of Mercy had a son, I would be the first to worship him".
—Qur'an 43:82 Footnote ³ of N. J. Dawood's translation says,
³ To the Christians.

He (exalted be the glory of our Lord!) has taken no wife, nor has He begotten any children. The Blaspheming One among us has uttered a wanton falsehood against God, although we had supposed no man or jinee could tell of Him what is untrue.
—Qur'an 72:3

Say: ‘GOD is One, the Eternal God. He begot none, nor was He begotten. None is equal to Him.’
—Qur’an 112:1-4

Notice these two points:
The words consort, wife, son, and beget are used in a very human, procreative sense.
They are not used in a figurative sense.

These Qur'anic verses appear to be targeting Christianity.

I have written an article, called
Jesus: The Only Begotten Son of God
which I would like you to read. Here are some conclusions:

Topic Bible

Wife or Consort of God Not found in the Bible at all.

God Begets or is Begotten with a Wife or Consort Absent from the Bible.
Some, usually older, English translations of the Bible use begotten to describe Jesus. However, the word being translated really has nothing to do with begetting. Even when begotten is used in an English translation (for lack of a clear single equivalent word in English) Christian readers do not interpret this word in the way the Qur'an suggests Christians do.
I think most Christians would be shocked and dismayed to know that the Qur'an mis-represents their faith as it does. I certainly was when I first read the Qur'an.

Son of God Yes, in the Bible.
However, the Gospel uses the title Son of God in a well-defined, figurative sense, which is totally different from how the Qur'an claims that it is used.

Further Reading
Ezra, the Son of God?
Was 'Uzayr (Ezra) Called The Son Of God?

The Qur'an says in one of the verses above:
      The Jews say Ezra is the son of God...

You must admit that this statement is false.
Do the Jews today say Ezra is the son of God?
      No, the vast majority do not.
When did they change?
Did the Jews ever say Ezra is the son of God?
      No, the vast majority did not.
Here is my point:
In the article below, I discuss the words begotten and son as they are used to describe Jesus in the Bible:

Jesus: The Only Begotten Son of God

Because the Qur'an makes one statement about Jews that is false, may I ask you, dear Muslim reader, to consider the possibility that statements in the Qur'an concerning Christianity may also be in some way inaccurate?

Contradictions in the Qur'an
Answering Islam Home Page

They say: "Allah has begotten a Son". Glory be to Him! His is what the heavens and the earth contain; all things are obedient to Him. Creator of the heavens and the earth! When he decrees a thing, He need only say "Be", and it is. —Qur'an 2:116	Who says "Allah has begotten a Son"?
Then God will say: ‘Jesus, son of Mary, did you ever say to mankind: "Worship me and my mother as gods besides God?"’ —Qur'an 5:116	Mary worshipped as a god. Possibly part of this theme.
Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth; how can He have a son when He has no consort? He created all things, and He hath full knowledge of all things. —Qur'an 6:101	Do you know what a consort is? con·sort (n. kon’sôrt; v. kèn sôrt’), n. 1. a husband or a wife, esp. of a reigning monarch. 2. one vessel or ship accompanying another. —v.i., v.t. 3. to keep company. 4. to agree or harmonize. If Christians believed in a consort of God, I would not have had to look it up in a dictionary. But if this verse is not about Christians, then what is it about?
The Jews say Ezra is the son of God, while the Christians say the Messiah is the son of God. Such are their assertions, by which they imitate the infidels of old. God confound them! How perverse they are! —Qur’an 9:30	It's perverse of Jews and Christians to say God has a son. Like the infidels of old. God confound them!
They say, ‘God has begotten a son.’ God forbid! Self-sufficient is He. His is all that the heavens and the earth contain. Surely for this you have no sanction. Whould you say of God what you know not? —Qur’an 10:68	Self-sufficient is He means he does not need a consort to have a son.
Such was Jesus, the son of Mary. That is the whole truth, which they still doubt. God forbid that He Himself should beget a son! When He decrees a thing He need only say: ‘Be,’ and it is. —Qur’an 19:35	Who are they that still doubt? Allah does not need to beget a son the way men have children, with a wife or consort. He can just say ‘Be.’
Those who say: ‘The Lord of Mercy has begotten a son,’ preach a monstrous falsehood, at which the very heavens might crack, the earth break asunder, and the mountains crumble to dust. That they should ascribe a son to the Merciful, when it does not become the Lord of Mercy to beget one! —Qur’an 19:88	Strong words in reference to God begetting a son.
Say: ‘How then can you be so bewitched?’ We have revealed to them the truth, but they are liars all. Never has God begotten a son, nor is there any other god besides Him. Were this otherwise, each god would govern his own creation, each holding himself above the other. Exalted be God above their falsehoods! —Qur’an 23:91	More strong words in reference to God begetting a son. If there were multiple gods, then they would all act in a way that mere humans would consider immature.
Surely they lie when they declare: "Allah has begotten children". —Qur'an 37:151
Had it been His will to adopt a son, He would have chosen whom He pleased out of His own Creation. —Qur'an 39:4
Say: ³ "If the Lord of Mercy had a son, I would be the first to worship him". —Qur'an 43:82	Footnote ³ of N. J. Dawood's translation says, ³ To the Christians.
He (exalted be the glory of our Lord!) has taken no wife, nor has He begotten any children. The Blaspheming One among us has uttered a wanton falsehood against God, although we had supposed no man or jinee could tell of Him what is untrue. —Qur'an 72:3
Say: ‘GOD is One, the Eternal God. He begot none, nor was He begotten. None is equal to Him.’ —Qur’an 112:1-4

Topic	Bible
Wife or Consort of God	Not found in the Bible at all.
*God Begets* or is Begotten with a Wife or Consort**	Absent from the Bible. Some, usually older, English translations of the Bible use begotten to describe Jesus. However, the word being translated really has nothing to do with begetting. Even when begotten is used in an English translation (for lack of a clear single equivalent word in English) Christian readers do not interpret this word in the way the Qur'an suggests Christians do. I think most Christians would be shocked and dismayed to know that the Qur'an mis-represents their faith as it does. I certainly was when I first read the Qur'an.
*Son of God*	Yes, in the Bible. However, the Gospel uses the title Son of God in a well-defined, figurative sense, which is totally different from how the Qur'an claims that it is used.